All For You
by JustPlugMeIn
Summary: Emily May Potter is still haunted by her past but this year is the year that she would be reunited with her brother, the brother who doesn't even know that she exists, but the surprises aren't over yet as more secrets are revealed. How will Emily react when she realises that, for the most part, her life has been the biggest lie that anyone has ever told?
1. Chapter 1

"Em, do it again" I looked at dad and grinned before looking at my little brother, holding my breath, and turning my black hair bubble gum pink. Harry snorted with laughter before clapping and squealing with amusement which caused his newly formed snot bubble to burst.

"YES!" Harry giggled, the only word he really used.

"Ok, ok" mum laughed "that's it. Bed time, _both_ of you."

I picked myself up from the floor and went to wrap my arms around my father's leg. "I want a story, daddy" I begged.

"Em, mum will read you your story." Dad replied as he scratched his nose with his wooden stick. I stared at the stick in wonder, as I always did; there was something special about it. Dad could make things fly around the room when he waved it but I wasn't allowed to touch it.

"No! Mummy read it last night, I want you!"

"You do it" Mum told him "I'll put Harry down."

I watched as he exchanged a look with my mother before sighing and scooping me up in his arms. "Alright, little madam, what do you want?"

"The three brothers!" I cried in excitement, secretly smug that he'd given into me.

"Ok, Princess" he grinned as he flicked his wand and the book came zooming into us from the hall.

Dad stood and as he did, I asked "when I can make things fly, daddy?"

"When you are old enough to get your own wand" he replied.

"What's a wand?"

Dad had opened his mouth and was just about to explain when the front door exploded. The shock froze me in my father's arms but dad didn't hesitate. "Lily, take the kids and go; he's found us! I'll hold him off, just go!"

"But James-" I watched my mother, her eyes wide and her mouth open.

"Go" dad ordered before pressing his lips to hers "please."

I was pushed into my mother's arms and whisked up stairs. "Emily" mum set me down in my room "hide under your bed and don't come out for anyone. Do you understand?" She spoke quickly and the urgency in her tone scared me.

"But mummy, I want to stay with you" I whispered.

"I know, honey, but you need to hide. Please, Emmy, get under your bed!" I nodded, my lower lip trembling. "I love you" she told me fiercely "daddy loves you, now get under there and don't come out." Mum bent down to kiss me and waited until I'd crawled under the bed before I watched her feet hurry from my bedroom.

I heard nothing but silence for a very long time but did as I was told and never left my hiding place. Minutes went by, maybe hours, maybe even days until someone entered my bedroom. I watched leather bound feet cross the thresh hold. "Emily?"

The voice wasn't one I recognised; I curled myself up tightly into a ball and hugged my legs as I watched the person drop to their knees and saw a face appear. It was a man with long black hair and a hooked nose; I realised that I knew him and crawled out and into his waiting arms. "Uncle Severus!" I cried "where's mummy?"

Severus held me tight as he buried his head into my shoulder. He stayed like that for a few minutes and I didn't know what to do so I just patted his head until he stood. "Emily" he held me up before him and looked into his eyes; they were wet and red. I could still see tear tracks running down his cheeks "you're coming home with me, ok, and I want you to close your eyes until I tell you to open them again."

"Why?" I asked in confusion.

"Because I'm asking you to. Please, for me?"

"Ok" I whispered as I took his face in my hands and kissed his cheek before closing my eyes.

He held me tightly to him, pressing a hand to my head and into his shoulder. "Good girl" he whispered.

When I opened them again I was staring at my whitewashed ceiling with fresh tears making tracks down my cheeks. The day that my family had been torn apart often revisited my dreams. It was the only vivid memory that my four year old mind had remembered and I was forced to relive it five nights out of seven.

Sunlight was poking through the gaps in my curtains, lighting up my bedroom, telling me that it was morning so I swiped at the fallen tears and rolled out of bed, stubbing my toe on something hard. Yelping, I hopped on one foot before falling back onto my bed and glared at the offending object. It was my school trunk.

My heart jumped; it was September first, the day that I start my third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the day that Harry, my brother, would start his first year. I hadn't seen my brother since that fateful day but I remembered him and pictured his tiny one year old frame whenever I thought that I was forgetting him. Severus, my uncle, had given me pictures of Harry growing up; I think they were school pictures and I kept them on my bedside table. I found myself staring at the latest one; he was in oversized clothes, his hair was messy and he was wearing round glasses. He looked just like my father, besides the scar on his forehead which had been a 'present' left by a curse on the day that we lost our parents and his green eyes which matched my mothers. I bore the appearance of my mother; the same green eyes, her nose, her smile, even her intellect but I'd inherited my father's black hair which hung past my waist in neat, loose, curls.

Harry Potter, my brother, would be starting Hogwarts today and he has no idea who I am. The thought almost crippled me; he's the only family that I have left in the world and he doesn't even know that I exist. I sighed forlornly as I ran a brush through my hair, absently staring at my school uniform which was hanging from the handles of my wardrobe. My red and gold tie was sticking out of the pocket of my black robe and I wondered whether Harry would be placed in Gryffindor.

"Em?" I looked up, startled, to see that Severus was standing in the doorway of my bedroom. I hadn't even heard him climb the stairs. "Are you ok? I heard a bang."

Severus had taken me in after my parents died; he wouldn't tell me the specifics as to why I was going with him and Harry wasn't but he's been good to me. He promised that I'd never want for nothing and he hadn't lied…not really…no one can bring back the dead, right? "I just stubbed my toe" I replied.

Severus gave me a smile before nodding. "I thought maybe that you'd rolled out of the bed again."

"That happened once!" I protested "when I was six!"

"Well, it happened either way and I didn't want to come in here to find you on the floor with your head cracked open again." He chuckled before gesturing at my uniform "we're leaving in fifteen minutes so I'd hurry up if you don't want to miss the train."

"Is it that late?" I asked in surprise. "Pants!" I cursed.

Severus flicked his wand and walked out of my room with my school trunk "hurry up." He ordered softly as he left.

I had to admit that Severus baffled me. I'm the only person that he has ever shown kindness toward, I'm the only person he smiles at, the only person he laughs with. _I_ have fun with my uncle but everyone else hates him and I honestly don't blame them; around everyone else he's cold and cruel and I've never been able to work out why he's only pleasant to me.

Shaking my head I, once again, pushed the thought to one side and dressed before meeting Severus, fifteen minutes later, in front of the fire which would take me directly to platform 9 ¾. "Hey" he put both of his hands on each of my shoulders and knelt down "have a good journey and remember that I'm only an owl away if you need me."

"I'll see you this evening" I reminded him.

"I know" Severus smiled "just behave yourself; I don't want any bad reports about you."

"Uncle" I sighed "I'm _always _good. Can I go now?"

"Yes" he chuckled before he kissed my forehead and ruffled my hair as he stood up.

I frowned at him, smoothing my hair back down "I'll see you at dinner." I told him as I took a handful of floo powder before stepping into the fireplace with my trunk. I dumped the floo powder at my feet and yelled "platform 9 and three quarters!"


	2. Chapter 2

The platform was already busy when I stepped out onto it; I could see my friends, Lee Jordan, Fred and George Weasley and Micah Bennett all huddled together at the front end of the train but my first port of call was finding a compartment and dumping my trunk. Severus had charmed my trunk to be as light as a feather so I lifted it with one hand and climbed aboard the train.

My friends and I had come up with a system at the end of our first year; the first one aboard the train would find a compartment somewhere around the middle and make a huge mess, basically we covered it in homemade vomit (don't worry, it's only vegetable stew) which could then be cleaned up with 'scourgify' when we were ready to settle down but, this way, it meant that we were guaranteed a compartment just for the five of us.

I found it without any difficulty, it was the same compartment we'd used since we first started, and dumped my trunk on the luggage rack before heading back onto the platform to greet my friends. "Em!" Micah shouted and gestured at me to hurry up and join them. "Em" he repeated "I bet you can't guess who's here?"

"Who?" I frowned.

"_Harry Potter_!" The twins told me in unison "we just spoke to him; he has the scar and everything!"

My jolted in my chest. I'd momentarily forgotten about Harry. I hadn't told my friends that Harry is my brother; my last name had been changed so that people couldn't connect us easily. He's Potter and I'm Snape; I took on Severus' surname when he signed the adoption forms. Legally, my name is still Emily May Potter but, until I'm told otherwise, I have to use Snape. "Em?" Fred poked me lightly before waving a hand over my face "_hello_ earth to Emily!"

"Huh?" I focused on him "sorry, what?"

"Harry Potter!" Micah whispered excitedly "he's starting Hogwarts this year!"

"Big whoop" I replied, trying to sound uninterested "he's just a kid, leave him alone."

"Oh come on" Lee nudged me and winked "don't tell me that you don't want to sneak a peek! He's sitting with Fred and George's younger brother…literally opposite us." He paused for a moment before correcting himself "well diagonally and then a few compartments down but we'll pass them when we get on."

I shook my head "like I said, he's just a kid." Looking around for some kind of distraction, I noticed the twin's mother watching us. "I'm going to go and say hey to your mum" I told Fred and George. Molly and Arthur Weasley had been kind to me; I'd spent a couple of weeks during the summer with them for the past two years and they always made me feel welcome. "Hey, Mrs Weasley!"

Mrs Weasley looked around and, once she saw me, greeted me with a smile "oh hello, Emily. How are you?"

"Good" I nodded "I'm really missing your cooking though!"

"Does Severus not cook for you?" She frowned "I should have a word with him about that."

"Oh no, he does!" I assured her "but nothing beats yours only don't tell him I said that." I looked down to see Ginny who was peering at the train. "What's sparked your interest?"

Molly sighed "oh, it's nothing; Fred and George said that-"

"Harry Potter is on the train!" Ginny squeaked "I want to see him! Mum, please let me go and see him."

I glanced up at Mrs Weasley only to find that she was already staring at me with a concerned expression on her face. Molly and Arthur know about my relationship with Harry but they, like me, have vowed their silence on the matter. "No, Ginny dear, I've already told you that the poor boy is to be left alone."

Ginny pouted but said nothing more. "Hey" I knelt down and smiled at her "you start next year, right?" She nodded "Well then you'll be able to stare all you like at him next year, won't you?"

"But that's a whole year away!" She whined "I want to see him now!"

"Ginevra Molly Weasley" her mother barked "if I hear another word out of you about Harry Potter you will be sleeping in the attic for a week!"

Ginny's eyes widened and clamped her mouth tightly shut before looking down at her shoes. To many, sleeping in the attic wouldn't be too bad as a punishment but the Weasley's have a ghoul which favours that particular part of the house; I don't think that Mrs Weasley would actually make her only daughter sleep up there but the threat alone was enough to end the topic. "Well, I'd better get going" I told the two Weasley's as the train doors were being slammed shut.

"Have a safe journey dear and don't you worry about a thing" she told me quietly as she hugged me.

"I won't" I promised as I returned the hug and hurried over to the train and calling "I'll write to you!"

The Hogwarts express leaves at exactly eleven o'clock in the morning whether or not you are on it so if you're late, it's tough luck really but I always boarded the train just in the nick of time, closing the door just as the train began to move. I idled at the door, staring through the window at the waving parents and, as I did the previous two years, felt a sense of jealousy and grief; jealous that these children still had their parents and grief at the fact that I had neither. I often wondered how different my life would be if mum and dad had survived. Would we still be in Godric's Hollow? Would Shadow, our cat, still be alive? Would there be more of us? But I found, a long time ago, that dreaming did nothing but upset me so I turned my back on the window and went to join my friends.

"Finally!" Micah cheered as I sat beside him "we've been waiting for you. Where did you go?"

"I was talking to Molly" I replied before grinning at the twins "I think Ginny has taken to Harry a bit too much."

"Ginny?" Fred frowned, looking at George before they both snorted with laughter "_no_. Ginny is not interested in boys."

I raised my eyebrows at them before turning to Lee Jordan who'd just asked "so how was your summer with Snape?"

"I always…well, mostly, spend my summer with Severus and it was great; it always is."

"I still can't believe that you can pull pranks right under his nose and he _gives_ you points!" George stated.

"Yeah!" Fred agreed "I actually think that you are the only student who isn't in his house that he awards points to."

I rolled my eyes "don't be stupid, he awards points all the time and not just to me." Though, in actual fact, Fred was right.

During most of the journey, I was pretending to listen to Fred and George's animated account of how they flirted with the muggle girls during the holidays but I was actually thinking about Harry and it took me a good few hours to decide to get up and have a quick look at my brother; the perfect opportunity arose when our compartment door slid open and in stepped a bush haired first year with large front teeth. "Hello" she said confidently "my name's Hermione Granger; I don't suppose you've seen a toad? Only, my friend, Neville has lost his."

The twins looked at each other and grinned. "Is he green?" Fred asked.

"About this big?" George required as he held his hands about half a foot apart.

"Slimy?"

Hermione nodded, looking hopeful. "Yes!"

"Sorry" Fred grinned "haven't seen him."

"Oh" the little first year frowned "well, if you do see him could you let me know? I'm three compartments up."

"Sure" Micah smirked. Hermione grinned at us all before leaving and shutting the door behind her. "Not!" He snorted "seriously, who the hell brings a toad?"

I glared at them before getting up and hurried out into the corridor to see Hermione walking toward the next compartment. "Hey, Hermione!" I called after her.

She turned around and peered curiously at me "did you find him?"

"No" I told her "I haven't seen him but I thought that I'd help you look."

"Ok!" She said brightly "Thanks!"

I began to regret my decision, however, because between compartments all she did was talk about how much magic she knows and all of the books she's read. I, being a secret bookworm myself, had read all of the books she'd mentioned and more and knew all of the spells she'd read about but, not wanting to put her down before she even started at Hogwarts, I kept my mouth shut and tried to tune her out…until we hit Harry's compartment.

"Have any of you seen a toad?" I heard Hermione ask "Only, Neville has lost one- Oh, are you doing magic? Let me see then."

"Ok…" I looked at Ron, the youngest Weasley son and smiled at him "sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!" He prodded Scabbers, his rat, with the end of his beaten up hand-me-down wand but nothing happened. He frowned and I saw that his ears had turned red.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" Hermione asked him. "I only know a few myself, for example-" she pointed her wand away from Ron and said "oculus reparo! I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, and you are?"

"Ron Weasley" Ron replied with his mouth full of chocolate.

"Harry Potter" I turned my head so fast that I cricked my neck and stared at my brother. I felt my heart swell at the sight of him; it had been so long since we'd been in the same room but I felt relieved that I still loved him just as much as I had done ten years ago.

"Emily?" I was pulled back to reality; oh Lord, how long had I been staring at him? "Are you alright?" Ron asked. "I was just telling Harry that you're friends with my family."

"Oh yeah" I replied quickly "yeah I am."

Harry smiled at me, again reminding me so much of our dad. "So have you met the rest of his brothers then?"

I nodded "yeah though I've only met Bill once."

"Charlie has a job in Romania now" Ron told me "he works with dragons!" Charlie, the Weasley's eldest but one, had been the object of my fantasies since my first year; I was gutted when I realised that he'd be leaving at the end of my second year, and this information on made me desire him even more.

"Wow" I smiled "I bet he's happy about that."

Ron grinned "yeah, he practically danced around the whole house when the owl, telling him that he'd got the position, turned up. Hey" Ron frowned as he looked at me, then at Harry and then back at me "are you two related or something?"

"Huh?" I looked at Harry who was looking at me, trying to find the resemblance between us. "No" I laughed nervously "I think I'd know if I was related to Harry Potter."

"Yeah" Harry scowled "all I have left is my aunt, uncle and cousin."

"I heard that they're mean to you" I said quietly "is that true?"

He shrugged "they let me have Dudley's second bedroom so I don't sleep in the cupboard anymore."

"You slept in a cupboard whilst your cousin had two bedrooms?" I asked angrily.

"Yeah but it wasn't too bad" he said quickly "I don't have much stuff so I didn't need a bedroom." I growled in fury and made a mental note to visit this so called 'family' and have words with them. "What is it to you where I sleep, anyway?" Harry asked as he furrowed his eyebrows.

'Everything' I wanted to say but I just shook my head, forced myself to stand and stalked out, leaving the compartment in confused silence.


	3. Chapter 3

I stepped off the train and into the warm evening air. I could see Micah waiting for me beside a carriage and waved at me to hurry up. "Did you find the toad?" He asked as we both climbed in and took our seats beside Fred, George and Lee.

"Nope, I think he's gone; stupid kid shouldn't brought a toad in the first place, I mean _honestly_ what do they even do?"

"Well, you've changed your tone since earlier" Micah commented as the carriage began to move "what happened to the disapproving expression?"

I glared at him "I just didn't think that you should be being mean about a first year you don't even know." I retorted.

"So you're an exception then?" George asked.

"No, I wasn't being mean, I was stating a fact."

"So was I!" Micah protested.

"Well, either way, he's probably lost his toad for good; hopefully he'll get something useful, like an owl."

The carriage took us from the station in Hogsmead and all the way up to the castle where we entered the school through the entrance hall and made our way into the great hall for the start of term feast. I automatically looked up at the head table and smiled when I made eye contact with Severus who'd already taken his place and was waiting quietly. Along to his right, I saw a professor I hadn't seen since my first year; Professor Quirrell had been teaching Muggle studies before he took a year off to travel, that's what I heard anyway, but he was different from what I could remember. He was now a quivering man who was looking nervously around at the students who were slowly filing in. Upon his head he wore a turban. I frowned, wondering what had gone on during the year he'd been away to change him that dramatically.

"Guys" I nudged the closest person to me, Lee, and nodded at Quirrell "look who's back."

"Blimey" Fred breathed "didn't think we'd see him again! Reckon he's back doing muggle studies?"

"No idea" replied George "he doesn't look like he's stable enough to teach though. Look at him…reckon if I screamed he'd have a heart attack?"

George didn't scream because we were ordered by Professor McGonagall to 'sit down and shut up' so that we'd give the first years a good impression when they were allowed to enter the great hall for the sorting. Naturally, though, everyone started whispering instead of shutting up. "I hope Potter's in Gryffindor" Fred muttered "that will annoy the Slytherins."

I rolled my eyes but said nothing as the doors opened and the tiny first years were lead through. I scanned the crowd for Harry and found him near the back with Ron and a chubby boy who was clutching a toad. Hermione was standing a few feet in front of them talking fast to anyone who would listen. Every so often I caught the words 'Hogwarts a History' and 'did you know?' I instantly felt sorry for anyone who was going to be sharing a dormitory with her.

The hall was called to order and, finally, silence fell as everyone focused their attention on the sorting hat; an enchanted hat which places you in your house. It was old when I first started but the sorting couldn't be done without it; I think it's like some kind of tradition now. From what I was told, the four founders (Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin) couldn't decide on how to sort their students so they created the 'sorting hat' to do it for them and one thousand years later (roughly) it's still being used.

It can think for its self, the hat, because each year it sings a different song before the sorting begins, I reckon that it spends all year entertaining its self by creating these songs…what else can it do? It's a hat.

_'Oh you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me._

You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!'

"I still say" Fred muttered as he leant across the table toward me "that if I could steal that hat and get away with it, I would."

Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment. "When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"

A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause – "HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table.

"Bones, Susan!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next to Hannah.

"Boot, Terry!"

"RAVENCLAW!"

The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.

"Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender" became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers.

"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Finnigan, Seamus," the sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.

"Granger, Hermione!"

Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head. I rolled my eyes, of course she'd do that. I was almost hoping that she'd trip before she got to the school and then remembered that she reminded me of how I was when I was a first year. I immediately felt guilty.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.

When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called, he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off still wearing it (why wasn't I more surprised?), and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it to "MacDougal, Morag."

Malfoy, Draco – a kid with sleek blonde hair swaggered forward when his name was called, the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"

Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with himself.

There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and then, at last - "Potter, Harry!"

As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the hall.

"Potter, did she say?"

"The Harry Potter?"

My heart was thrumming madly throughout the entire pause; I couldn't take my eyes off his tapping feet and his hands which were clenching knees so hard that his knuckles were turning white.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"We got Potter! We got Potter!" The twins chanted as the Gryffindor table erupted, cheering as Harry removed the hat and hurried over to join Ron. I let out a sigh of relief and smiled over at him before turning back to McGonagall.

"Thomas, Dean," a Black boy joined Harry at the Gryffindor table. "Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was pale green and shaking with nerves, a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

I clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next to Harry.

"Well done, Ron, excellent," I heard Percy Weasley say Pompously across Harry as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.

"Looks like we got a good lot this year" Micah grinned as Dumbledore stood up.

"Did you see the Slytherins though?" I whispered as I glanced over to where Draco Malfoy was sitting. "I swear that they look meaner every year."

George leant over and muttered "I've heard of the Malfoys. They're one of the biggest pureblood families left and" he leant even closer "Malfoy senior was in with _you know who_ when he was still at large."

I immediately felt my anger flare up again; _you know who_ or Lord Voldemort was the wizard who killed my parents, cursed Harry and split my family up. I wanted nothing more than to ensure that all of those who followed him are given the punishment that they deserve.

"Em, you alright?" Lee muttered "you look as though you're ready to kill someone."

"I'm fine" I spat out "thanks." My thank you was genuine but, due to my rage, it came out as a sarcastic taunt.

Anger was something that never used to bother me, I was able to control it but after finding out what Harry had been going through everything seemed to boil to the surface; the sorting hat must had sensed it before me because when I'd put it on my head, in my first year, it had suggested placing me in Slytherin. I then remembered something else it had said.

_'You want to be like your mother, a true Gryffindor, but your heart wants to be a Slytherin, like your father._


	4. Chapter 4

"Caput Draconis" I said lazily to the fat lady, the portrait which hides the entrance to the Gryffindor common room, and stood back as she swung open to let me through. I'd asked Percy Weasley for the password and rushed ahead of everyone else, not wanting to be caught in the swarm of the first years or questioned by my friends who, by the way, are probably the nosiest people I am unfortunate enough to know.

Scanning the empty, quiet, common room, I smiled. The fire was lit, giving the room a warm, welcoming glow, the circular room was tidier than it would be this time tomorrow and the sofas by the fire looked comfortable; I made my way over to them and settled into the one closest to the flames and sighed happily. Hogwarts is my second home and it was good to be back.

Not five minutes later my friends piled through the portrait hole just moments before everyone else and joined me by the fire. We watched Percy telling the first years where they'd be sleeping. Harry was standing with Ron, both were looking tired and looking longingly around for their dormitory. I remember being a first year; I remember how exhausted I was after spending most of the day on the train and then eating as much food as I could without throwing it back up. I'd gone to bed immediately and had fallen asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

I rolled over to Harry and Ron, tapped them on the shoulder and muttered "up the stairs and it's the first door on the left." Before winking at them and returning to my seat. Micah gave me an odd look when I sat down. "What?" I frowned at him.

"Since when have you been _besties_ with Harry Potter?" He asked.

"Since when has being nice made me best friends with anyone?" I retorted "Percy talks for ages and they looked as though they're about to drop so I just told them where to find their dormitories and, anyway, I'm friends with Ron."

"Percy _does_ go on a bit" Fred agreed.

"Yeah" George rolled his eyes "we should know, we live with him! Imagine how annoying he was when he found out that he was chosen to be a prefect!"

I groaned, instantly feeling sorry for the entire Weasley household. "I bet that was terrible."

George nodded "horrific."

"Terrifying more like" laughed Fred "when George and I stole his badge and pinned it to his scarf he went completely mad and said that he'd curse us all if we didn't tell him where it was. I think that's the one and only time that I've seen mum put him in timeout."

George snorted "now _that_ was hilarious!"

"Yeah" Fred agreed, chuckling as he reminisced "I think it kinda makes up for him being an annoying oik."

"Not likely!" disagreed George "it probably makes up for the first two days of summer."

"What happened?" Micah and I said in unison.

"He gave us a lecture about making him look bad at school with our 'sill antics'" sighed Fred "and wouldn't back off until I accidently, on purpose, jabbed him in the eye with the tip of my wand."

I frowned "why did that make him stop?"

"Because" he explained with a grin "I told him that, if he didn't shut his mouth, I'd be shoving it where the sun doesn't shine."

We all burst out laughing which, unfortunately, attracted Percy's attention. "Get to bed!" He instructed bossily "I will not be happy if I have to wake you all up in the morning!"

"Ooh" Fred mocked "I'm so scared of being late, it makes my socks quiver!"

"Well it should" Percy snapped "you and George got into your third year by the skin of your teeth. If you two don't buck your ideas up then you probably won't be coming back at all next year and then where will you be?"

"To be honest, Perce, I really couldn't care less" George sighed "but, I am tired so-" he raised his eyebrows at his older brother before getting up and heading toward the boys dormitories.

"You know, Perce" Fred said as he too got up "you really are an arse" before following his brother.

Percy turned to watch his twin brothers leave, his ears red, before turning back to Micah and I and saying "I expected better of _you_, Emily, and Micah…I'm really not surprised." Before heading across the common room and up the stairs to bed.

"What did we even do?" Micah asked in confusion.

"Who knows?" I sighed "he probably heard Fred and George telling us about him but I am tired so I'm actually going to take his advice and head to bed. See you at breakfast."

The next morning I woke early by the buzzing feeling of excitement in my stomach and a soft tapping at the window. "Emily, you have an owl." I sat up and peered through my hangings to see Gail standing by the window with Kenko, my barn owl.

I grinned at her as I hopped out of bed and relieved her of my owl. "Thanks Gail!"

"Yeah" she frowned "no problem." Before turning her back on me and leaving.

Gail is interested in no one but herself; she's beautiful and is constantly followed around by the older boys. She probably only let Kenko in because she thought that whatever message was being delivered was for her. I rolled my eyes at her before taking the scroll and letting Kenko fly back out through the open window before opening my message.

_If I know you as well as I think I do, I believe that you will have forgotten that today is September the 2__nd__, the day of your fourteenth birthday. May I be the first to wish you a very happy birthday! Keep an eye out at breakfast today for your gift._

_Severus._

I gasped and mentally slapped myself. I always forget my birthday, _that_ would explain the buzzing in my stomach! I dressed quickly and hurried into the common room to find Fred and George hanging around the notice board. "Hey guys" I grinned at them "what are you looking at?"

"Wood put up the try-outs signup sheet; we were just seeing who's signed up." Replied George.

"Are you putting your names down?" I asked them; both Fred and George were Gryffindor's beaters last year on the Quidditch team.

"Of course!" Fred told me "you?"

"Is Dumbledore old?" I winked at them before accepting a quill from my bag and signed my name under the _chaser_ section.

We walked from Gryffindor tower and down to the great hall for breakfast. When we were sat down, Micah nudged me and said "a little owl tells me that it's your birthday today."

"Oh yeah!" Fred grinned "you forgot again didn't you?"

I blushed a little and frowned "how could I forget my own birthday, Fred, come on?"

"Oh my God, you did!" He laughed "you are one on your own, Emily!"

"Shut up" I grunted as I grabbed the closest platter of sausages and piled five onto my plate. "Where are our timetables anyway?"

"I think-" Micah said as he peered down the table "they're coming round now."

Professor McGonagall approached us, took one look at my plate and frowned. "Emily Snape, for someone so slim you eat like a pig; where do you put it all?"

I shrugged as I bit into my first sausage. "No idea, professor."

"Hmm, well, Happy Birthday; I hope that your lessons today don't spoil your fun."

I groaned "it's not _that_ bad is it, professor?" I took my timetable from her and peered at it and frowned. "Since when have we ever had three double periods in a row?" I asked.

"What do we have?" Micah asked.

"Potions, Defence and Care of Magical creatures." I replied.

"Not bad at all" George nodded as he looked at his own timetable. "Old Kettleburn is so rickety that he'll fall apart if he does too much."

I chuckled at the truth behind his words before the familiar sound of _owl post_ met my ears. Watching the first years was hilarious; they all peered up at the ceiling in complete awe at what was going on around them. "Did _we_ used to be like that?" I asked through a mouthful of sausage meat "I mean, seriously, it gets old."

"Ah, leave them alone" Micah told me "it's new to them, bless their hearts."

Fred, George and I stared at him for a moment before George spoke. "Bennett, don't tell me that you've gone soft!"

"Maybe I have" he winked before his eyes locked on something above us. I looked up to see four large owls carrying one long package between them.

"That looks like a broom" I stated as I watched it get closer and closer before my eyes widened in surprise as the owls landed in front of me. I had to check the note just to make sure that it had been delivered to the right person.

_Once again_ it read _happy birthday. Enjoy this in any way you wish. Severus._

I squealed in delight as I tore at the paper and revealed the new _Nimbus 2000_. "Yes!" I cheered when I realised that I could now ditch the schools brooms and actually have a broom that gives me speed!

"You are so lucky!" Lee Jordan moaned "who's it from?"

"Severus" I smiled "and what is it to you? You don't even fly!"

Lee shrugged "I still like to fly. My broom is a _Comet 260_ and it starts bucking when I get five feet into the air."

"I'd offer you my old broom" I told him "but I don't have one."

"So funny" he told me stonily "remind me to laugh next time."

"Oh, loosen up; I'll let you have a go later but only if you're a good boy!" I laughed as I avoided his punch and then laughed even harder as he over balanced and fell face first into a platter of fried eggs. "Better luck next time, Jordan" I taunted as I pushed my last sausage into my mouth and stood. "Come on boys; don't want to be late on our first day now do we?"


	5. Chapter 5

The potions classroom was dimly lit, as always, but as there were no windows to let the sunlight in I guess that I couldn't really be helped. Fred, George, Micah and I took our usual seats at the back of the classroom. Severus was no were to be seen to, naturally, the volume in the room rose as more and more students filed in. Lee, after having washed up after his fried egg accident, turned up just moments before Severus walked in which saved him from having points docked for being late.

No one needed to be told to be quiet; whenever Severus enters his classroom everyone automatically shuts up. I'm not sure if that's because they're scared of him or if he just has the talent. "Today you will be learning the shrinking solution" he told us quietly as he reached his desk "the instructions are on the board; you have until the end of this class to perfect it. Begin!"

I smiled happily; I'd already perfected the shrinking solution, it was one of the potions I'd been practicing during the summer. Severus didn't know this, of course, so now it was my chance to impress him in both of our favourite lesson. "What are you grinning about?" Lee asked grumpily as we walked to the store room to collect our ingredients. "Snape been tutoring you in the summer?"

"No" I told him angrily "he wouldn't give me a head start. Don't you be getting grumpy with me, Jordan, or I'll make sure that you end up falling head first into a pile of dragon dung!" I glared at him before gathering the required ingredients and heading back to my table.

"What's got your wand in a knot?" Fred asked as he set up beside me.

"The insinuation that, because I live with the potions master, I get extra help!" I replied in annoyance

"_I_ don't think that" he replied "mum told me that your mother was brilliant at potions so it's only natural that you are too."

I smiled at him "thanks, Fred. I have been practicing though" I admitted "I want to become a healer so I need my potions to be better than perfect."

"I bet you couldn't screw up if you tried" he winked.

"Don't jinx me!" I cried "Fred!" He threw five caterpillars into his cauldron as he laughed and then coughed as the contents of his potion exploded, flooding the room with thick grey smoke. "You added the caterpillars too soon!" I told him as I wretched and dropped to the floor in an attempt to breathe clean air.

The classroom had to be evacuated just fifteen minutes into the class; Gryffindor lost twenty points, which I earned back by being well ahead of everyone else without making any mistakes, but we now had one hour and fifteen minutes free time until break which we decided to spend in the common room.

I was sat in my favourite arm chair, by the fire, when I noticed Fred, George, Lee and Micah having a muttered conversation. "If you're talking about me" I raised my eyebrows at them "do it so that I can hear and defend myself."

They all turned to look at me, grinning widely before Lee pulled out a giant cake from behind his back. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" They all cheered.

"Oh my God" I laughed "this was planned wasn't it?"

"What?" Fred looked at me in mock surprise "you think that I blew my cauldron up on purpose just to eat cake? _No_…I think you have the wrong person, Em, that's not me _at all_."

"But" interrupted George "he _may_ have blown up his cauldron for cake _and_ presents!"

And, as if they'd rehearsed this, all of them pulled out neatly wrapped presents seemingly from nowhere. "Open mine first!" Micah demanded as he started forward with his gift but Fred and George jumped in front of him and handed me theirs.

"My Lady" they bowed before shuffling backward, grinning at their shoes.

I studied the package; it wasn't too big and it was soft. "Do I even want to know what's in here?" I asked the twins.

"Just open it before we do it for you" George told me.

"Fine" I rolled my eyes and started to tear the paper off. The gift was a neat, stripy, cardigan and a pair of shorts; the very same cardigan and shorts that I'd been eyeing up one day when the three of us had gone into town during the summer. "Oh-" I put a hand to my mouth and actually felt tears well in my eyes. I had no idea that they noticed stuff like this about me; it's not as if I even mentioned the fact that I liked them. I flung my arms around both of them.

"Alright there, Em" George said as he patted my back "don't get all sentimental on us."

"Yeah" Fred interjected "people might start thinking that you're a girl!"

"Oi!" I let them both go before punching Fred's arm.

He held his hands up in surrender "kidding, _kidding_!"

"If you two are done" Micah sighed as he stepped forward "I would like to give you my gift." I smiled at him and accepted the small parcel. Inside was a white gold charm bracelet with three decorated beads; one red and white, one black and blue and one orange with green and white flowers. "You can get new ones" he told me "but it's from a muggle shop called _Pandora_ so you might have to order them through me."

"It's beautiful" I replied as I let him strap it to my wrist "thank you." I gave him a brief hug before opening my last present from Lee. He must have discussed what to get me with Micah because I unwrapped four more beads; these beads were white and each had my friends names on them.

"If you ever need to find us you just tap one of the beads with your wand and it tells you where we are. Give it a go; it won't work for anyone else because I had them charmed."

I took out my wand and tapped Fred's bead. Where his name had been, the writing changed and I looked closer to see the words _Gryffindor Common room_. "Wow, that is actually so cool!" It was his turn for a hug. I looked at my friends who were all smiling at me and was reminded of just how lucky I am to have them. "Thank you, so much, these are really great. I couldn't have wished for better."

"Well you did get a broom from Snape" Lee winked "that kinda puts our gifts into perspective."

"No it doesn't!" I assured him "you guys put so much thought into it and I love everything you brought me. Honestly." I then looked at the delicious looking cake and smiled "so who wants cake?"

It was beautiful; the cake was an ordinary sponge cake covered by butter icing with strawberries and cream on the top and strawberry flavoured cream in the middle. Our little party was broken up by someone clambering into to the common room and we all looked up to see Harry looking at us. "Need help, Potter?" George asked as he licked his fingers clean.

"Or maybe you want some cake?" Offered Fred with a grin.

"Or both!" The twins said together.

He looked at the cake for a moment before looking back up at us "I'm looking for Emily. Professor Snape asked me to get you for him."

I stood and smiled at Harry "where is he?"

"Just outside."

"I'll be back in a sec" I told the guys "and Fred?"

"Yes, my dear?"

"Give Harry some cake."

"Come on over here, Potter" I heard Fred say kindly as I left the common room "and have a munch on this."

As Harry had said, Severus was waiting for me in the corridor. "Hey, Sev. Thanks for the broom!"

"It was my pleasure" he told me as he gave me a one armed hug. "I trust Potter passed on my message?"

"Well, seeing as I'm out here, I guess so."

"Have you spoken to him?" Severus asked suddenly looking a little nervous.

"Not about anything important" I assured him "don't worry."

He stared at me before sighing and running a hand through his hair. "Good because I need to talk to you before you say anything to him."

I frowned at him "okay?"

"Just meet me in my office after dinner." He requested "There are a few things that I need to get straight with you."

My insides churned "is it that bad?"

"Don't worry about it for now, Em" Severus told me softly "enjoy the rest of your free time. I'll see you later." He kissed my forehead before turning around and heading back down the corridor.

When I returned to the common room, I found that Harry was still sitting with my friends but Ron had joined them and was on his third helping of cake. "When did you get here?" I asked him as I took my seat. "I didn't see you come in with Harry."

"I did" he nodded "but I had to get something so I went straight up the stairs. This is nice cake by the way."

"Yeah" I frowned "I hope you left some for me."

"So what did Snape want?" Lee asked as he helped himself to some cake.

"Just came to wish me a happy birthday in person" I replied with a smile, deciding to keep the fact that he wants to talk to me to myself. I looked up to see all six lads staring at me. "What? He's nice to me!"

"Is he your dad?" Harry asked

I shook my head "no, he took me in when I was four."

"Why? If you ask me, he doesn't seem like that kind of person."

"Well I wasn't asking you" I snapped "and I've lived with him for ten years, I think I know him better than you!"

"Ok" Harry blushed "sorry, I didn't mean-" but I jumped in, feeling bad that I'd snapped at my brother.

"Don't worry about it; I think I'm the only person he's nice to." I replied

Fred grinned and nodded in agreement "yeah, she's the only Gryffindor that he awards points to."

"He doesn't just _give_ them to me" I stated "I do actually earn them."

"So" Harry toyed with the hem of his sleeve "why do you live with him? Where are your parents?"

I watched him for a moment or two; I had to be careful because I didn't want to give anything away. My friends knew that my parents had died but I didn't tell them who they were; they have no idea that Harry's my brother and it has to stay that way. "When I was four" I sighed "Lord Voldemort raided my house and killed my parents; Severus was a good friend on my mother's and took me in. I think they'd arranged it beforehand or something, just in case, but he found me and took me home with him and I've been there ever since."

"At least you're happy" Harry sighed.

"What are your family like?" I asked him, wanting to know more about what goes on behind the front door of my dear aunt and uncle's home.

Harry shrugged "if I was _their_ kid, they'd be great but then I'd probably be fat. Dudley, my cousin, looks like a pig in a wig."

The twins and Ron snorted with laugher. "Oh wow, Harry, we _have _to meet him!" Fred laughed.

Grinning, Harry replied with "many people just want to run away from him!" He looked back at me and frowned. "Emily, why are you so interested in me? I mean, I know that I'm the chosen one or something but you don't seem to be interested in that area…you're interested in my home life."

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked quickly, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.

"Don't worry, Harry" Lee told him "she's like this with everyone. Saint Emily Snape _has_ to make sure that people are happy at home."

"Hey!" I glared at him but was relieved that he'd just saved me from fumbling over some lame answer as to why I _was_ so interested in him. "I don't do it with everyone! I just…" I sighed "I just wanted to know if the rumours were true."

"What rumours?" Harry asked.

"The rumours that your aunt and uncle love you like their own son" I lied.

Harry stared at me for a beat and then laughed. When he'd calmed down he said "those are just rumours, Emily. My aunt and uncle don't treat me like their own son and I'm glad. If you ever meet my cousin, you'll understand."

"Harry" Ron stood up "come on, I think we're late for class. Thanks for the cake!" He grinned before leaving us.

"I promised myself that I would tell you before Harry started here but I just couldn't bring myself to do it; I kept putting it off and now Harry is here and you've met him properly, I can't put it off anymore. Let me tell you a story."

After dinner, I'd made my way down to Severus' office; I'd told my friends that I wanted to take some cake for him and thank him properly for my broom. They swallowed my lie without question and promised to wait up for me; I felt bad for lying but I didn't want them to worry. If whatever Severus was about to tell me is important, _then_ I'd tell them and I was now sitting in the little living area, beside the fire, listening to him. "Don't you think that I'm a little old for stories?" I asked him.

"Just humour me, Emily, please."

I nodded and made myself comfier in my chair. "Ok."

"I ask for one thing" he told me "that you listen to what I have to say without interruption."

I nodded again "sure, I promise."

"It starts with a boy;" Severus began "the boy was having a rough time at home, his parents were always fighting and he wasn't happy. The only thing that was keeping him going was the knowledge that, when his eleventh birthday was looming, he'd get a letter which offered him freedom. A year before this letter came, the boy met a girl, she was the same age as him but she was from an ordinary family but, this girl, she was in no way ordinary; she was special, just like the boy. He found solace in her friendship, even before he left home, and he was happy in her company." He paused, watching me, before continuing. "The girl was beautiful; her red hair was long, her eyes green and she had a smile that could melt the hearts of the strongest men."

I watched Severus carefully; his eyes were sad when he spoke about this girl and I wanted to ask him who she is but I'd promised not interrupt so I clamped my mouth tightly shut and continued to listen.

"The boy fell in love with the girl before his thirteenth birthday and he figured that, even though the two were very different; she was kind and caring but he was angry and distrustful, they would one day be together but there was this other boy; he was, in one word, insolent. The girl and the boy didn't like this insolent boy at first. The insolent boy was mean to the first boy, he bullied him and mocked him, but then that changed when the first boy said something bad to the girl and he thought that he had lost her forever. The insolent boy grew up a bit, he still mocked the first boy but the girl started to warm to him and, before too long, the two started dating. The insolent boy grew into a man and the girl into a woman but the first boy, even though he'd grown older too, still felt like a boy as he watched his girl fall in love with another man and the boy knew that, if he didn't say anything to the woman, he would definitely lose her forever so, one day, the boy went to see the woman when she was alone. He hoped that the woman would forgive him and she did; nine months later, she gave the boy a present in the form of another little girl and the boy knew that he would love this new girl for as long as he lived but the insolent man could never know how this little girl came about so he believed that she was his own and loved her as his own until the day that he died."

I ran through the story again in my head and realised that he was talking about himself, my mother and my father so does that mean…"no" I whispered as I stared at him. "Severus, what- what are you trying to tell me?"

"Emily" he said quietly "I am trying to tell you that you are my daughter."


End file.
